


Pressure

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Frottage, Hux doubts the surpreme leader, Inappropriate Use of the Force, M/M, Mind Reading, Oral Sex, just a little
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-10 19:57:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7004302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You seem to have difficulty focusing, General.” Kylo Ren’s voice, distorted and deep, drew Hux’s sharp gaze. Frustration reared its head as he stared back, brow furrowed at the jibe. He continued, unconcerned. “Am I too much of a distraction?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably my longest fic in awhile! The chapters are quick and short, and I hope you enjoy!

The projection of the Supreme Leader used to intimidate him. The sheer size and volume of the man’s twisted form had shocked him, once. It was surprising what one could become used to with time. General Hux stood with his arms clasped behind his back, looking up at the gnarled face of Supreme Leader Snoke with an impassive frown. 

“We’ve recently found a star system suitable for our purposes. It has a single, lifesustaining planet orbiting close to a susceptible star. It would only take minor terraforming operations to make the surface habitable, and it has many natural features that will enhance and ease construction of our super weapon.” 

At the end of the surmised report the hologram acceded, “Acceptable. Your progress has been exactly what I expect of the men under my command, General,” Snoke’s praise did not come with a softened tone or the hint of a smile, simply the lack of his fury and disappointment. “Now, tell me“ 

Before the Supreme Leader could finish his statement, the doorway to the audience chamber opened, and footsteps echoed through the narrow walkway leading to the holographic dais. The General unconsciously rose an eyebrow in bewilderment, though he dared not turn to see who would have the gall to interrupt such a meeting. 

“Ah, my apprentice. I do not think you have had the pleasure of meeting him yet, General,”  
Snoke, sounding uniquely pleased of all things, gesturing forward. Hux had known a Knight of Ren would be arriving at the Resurgentclass Finalizer sometime in the near future, but as of yet had not been given specifics of their arrival, or which Knight it would be. Just that is would be after the completion of their most recent mission. That there had been no warning at all that today was the day of their arrival was a bit startling, but then again the Knights perhaps did not understand or know the protocol. A minor irk, but at least he could do proper introductions here instead of in the landing bay. With permission granted Hux turned to look at the figure looming several feet away. The General was used to seeing men in masks, but this one was... unique. The black robes the figure wore were unlike the armor the stormtroopers or their superiors sported. The figure, perhaps male but certainly humanoid, held itself confidently, concealed head held high and arms at its sides, both fists just barely clenched. There was an aura of power about them that made the hair on the back of Hux’s neck rise. Catching himself staring at the helmet’s viewport slit he turned his gaze back to Supreme Leader, as if waiting for further cue on how to react to the stranger in what had previously been a private audience hall. Thankfully the grand representation was in a giving mood. “General Hux, this is Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren and my greatest pupil. I trust you and he will be able to cooperate in the overseeing of my forces in this sector of the galaxy.” 

“You do me honor, master,” the stranger replied with a deep modulated voice and a slight incline of its head. Male humanoid then, Hux surmised. Then the figure turned his head towards Hux himself and inscrutably appeared to hesitate, then bowed his head marginally towards the General. Hux almost balked, unsure if the man's position as the Supreme Leader's pupil put him above or below him in rank, but instead mirrored the gesture. In unsure circumstances it was best to follow the given example. Seemingly appeased the towering dark knight turned their blank helm towards the blue hologram of his master dominating the room. “I do hope I was not interrupting something of great importance.” 

A large gnarled hand gestured slightly. “The General was just updating me on the progress of the weapon. I trust you have equally agreeable news for me?” 

The general noticed in the corner of his eye that the newcomer stood a little straighter, taking a position not dissimilar from Hux’s own before the hologram. Their helmet turned upwards towards their mutual master as he spoke. Hux had difficulty focusing on the content of the man’s report, only catching a few details of a putative mission on a remote moon of Endor, instead staring at this ‘Kylo Ren’ as best he could with his peripheral vision. Outright staring was crass, and something the detail oriented general had outgrown long since before he could remember. 

Snoke’s pupil was barely taller than himself, and their robes clearly show wear from battle. Hux could see the hilt of a light saber at his waist, and wondered if the aura he can barely detect was at all related to this mythical force the supreme leader so fervently believed in. He can glean nothing but the obvious from the man’s attire and turned his full concentration back to Snoke, who was still listening intently to the detailed plans for recovering... ashes? The remains of one man? The general’s brow furrowed in confusion, staring up at the Supreme Leader as if something in his mildly interested expression will explain the necessity of what seems like a frivolous sentimentality. 

“Take your men and a small craft when first available. This should be a trifle for you, a task that if not for its weight would be beneath someone of your skill.” Snoke’s attention then returned to the general, though the red haired man realized it was but a dull interest compared to that which Kylo Ren had held. “And I expect continued reports on the progress of the weapon, general. Now, both of you, go to your tasks.” With this spoken the hologram settled back, dismissing them. 

Both men bowed their heads in unintentional unison as the projection faded from view. General  
Hux turned to leave the way he had come, but stopped when the stranger began to speak. 

“You doubt the validity of my mission, don’t you, general?” It was not truly a question posed in the modulated rasp, but a statement. A small, prickling challenge. 

Unamused Hux turned to face the cloaked man, the leather of his gloves creaking as his fists clenched behind his back for half a breath. Grounding. Otherwise he kept his expression neutral. He would have gotten nowhere if he was so easily galled. 

“It is not my place to question the motivations of the Supreme Leader. He obviously sees value in this errand,” Hux replies carefully, calmly. He rose his chin minutely, eyes resolutely meeting the slit in Kylo Ren’s dark mask. 

Something like a chuckle emanated through the vocoder. Hux had to fight to prevent a frown. 

“You talk like a politician,” Kylo Ren shared as a way of an answer to his amusement. “Perhaps a wise choice, for someone in your position. I do not envy your ignorance of the ways of the force.” 

Hux had also grown out of rolling his eyes shortly before becoming a lieutenant, tempting as sometimes it was. Such as now. “Not all can be so…. fortuitous as to be as gifted as yourself and the Supreme Leader,” he instead retorted coolly, one brow quirked irritably at the other’s attempt at an insult. To keep things civil as he had been trained he tacked on, “Is there something else you needed from me, Master Ren?” After all, he had not gotten to where he was by being an impertinent brat. 

“The title is Lord,” the force user corrected him just as easily, head tilting at the mistaken appellation. 

The Order did not have such things as Lord’s, or other antiquated royal monikers. Titles were earned, as those before you had also done so. This was no Republic, full of old geriatric power hungry families with only but their name being enough to set them for life. Then again Hux indeed knew nothing of force users or their ilk. He stared, brow furrowed at the impassive mask of the knight, before nodding in recognition, “My mistake. You are the first of your order I have yet encountered.” 

“I would hope that our reputation would precede us,” Kylo Ren mused. His hands slid behind his back as he stood straight once again, having relaxed since the holograms dispersal. It seemed a clear mockery of the general’s posture. Though he could not see it, Hux was certain there was a smirk beneath that black and chrome mask. 

“Perhaps it is a credit to the stealth of your Knights that so little is known about them,” Hux again countered, not interested in getting into a verbal tiff while in the Supreme Leader’s holographic chambers. “Now, is there anything more I can do for you, Lord Ren, or may I return to my duties?” He knew his tone was condescending, bordering on insubordinate, but he had thankfully so far been given no indication that he is supposed to obey the man before him. He was simply feigning politeness in the off chance that he was expected to defer. He about faced to continue walking towards the audience hall’s exit. As Kylo Ren neither follows or stops him, he takes the silence as a sign that he has been dismissed. 

As the doors swished shut behind him, Hux felt a migraine coming on; something his position provided plenty of. It was dull, flat pressure against the front of his mind, only a fraction away from genuine pain. It was a triviality and easily ignored, so he continued back to the bridge without further thought.

In the following weeks Kylo Ren had not been seen without his mask. Nothing of particular note if it were not for his upper station in the ship's hierarchy. A mere Stormtrooper wasn’t to show their faces unless absolutely necessary. During cafeteria blocks, medical check ups, and sleep. Even Captains of the squads commonly kept on their helms, using the anonymity of the mask to intimidate. Techs, bridge staff, and other officers did not obscure themselves as their own masks should be more mental than physical. They were more needed for their individual skills and had to prove themselves that way. The fact that the Knight of Ren continued and seemed to prefer the anonymity of the mask was a point of gossip among the lower ranked of the Finalizer. Horrible disfiguration, an obvious genetic impurity from mixed species parents, or a ghastly form hiding behind the mask and robes were all suggested. It was low talk, the kind a General would never dare engage in.

Curiosity gnawed at him just the same.

For his part, Hux forced himself not to care as he worked alongside the Knight. The Finalizer was vast, but it seemed when not away on Snoke’s hand given missions Kylo Ren prefered to stay close to the main central operations rooms. This way he crossed paths with most of the upper ranks, keeping his black ghost in Hux’s peripherals at least once a day. He attended most larger administrative meetings, looming in the back, arms crossed over his chest as his mask faced the upper echelons of the ship’s command. There was never a comment added, nothing to share with the planning in the meeting. No one had the nerve to tell the man to leave, nor ask why he was there at all.

At this most recent meeting Hux caught himself once again staring at the shrouded form. The overheard gossip of the crew, snatches caught here and there around the ship, echoed in the back of his mind. Chastising himself for the distraction, his eyes turned back to the data pad in his hand as the head of engineering detailed the necessary droid load for the initial colonization of the chosen frozen planet.

Of Starkiller.

It was a childish name, simple in its literal nature; their weapon would devour its own star to destroy worlds. If built to his exacting design it could devour and destroy many times. The planet would be fully transformed into The Order’s perfect, mobile, weapon. The scale and scope was beyond the primitive Death Star in every conceivable sense. If successful, no, when successful , it would be one of the largest sentientmade constructions in the known universe. For now, though, their modern marvel needed a droid count in the upper millions to begin the arduous process of carving the surface and hollowing the core to their specifications. All the engineers needed from him was a rubber stamp of approval.

The pressure at the front of his head returned. He scowled at the three dimensional projection of the infant Starkiller. It made focusing on the presenter’s technical jargon all the more difficult. To abate the tightening in his head, the General allowed himself the luxury of an extended blink. He lingered in the darkness momentarily, relishing the brief relief, before turning his eyes back to the presenter.

As she finished the last of the proposal the head engineer turned directly towards him, her brows raised slightly in anticipation. Despite the small treble of nerves brought by their dark observer everyone in attendance still buzzed with tightly controlled excitement. This project was massive, impressive, and would symbolize much; just its construction was a metaphor for The Order’s true power rising from the old Imperial ashes. Despite this she and everyone else knew the proper amount of decorum when speaking to a superior. “Sir, as you can see we have accounted for everything. General, by your approval may we proceed?”

“Yes, of course. Your plans are thorough and your projections well within the schedule already set forth,” his tone is flatly positive and his words punctuated with a slight nod. He had not expected any less of them. “I’ll approve your requisitions as soon as you have them on my desk. The sooner we set the framework down, the closer we will be to demonstrating the true power of The Order.”

The meeting complete, General Hux rose to his feet, signaling it’s end. The engineer quickly pressed her hand to her chest in a respectful salute. The other members of the administrative board stood and matched her display, heads bowed slightly in a show of respect. Kylo Ren remained unmoved from where he sat at the opposite end of the table. Only his fingertips moved, tapping a silent rhythm on the table top. The dismissed lower ranked men and women left the room without comment, though a few surreptitious glances were made. Hux ignored all of it, already flipping through notices on his data pad that had arrived during the meeting.

The pain at the front of his head was quickly developing into a heavy weight above his eyes. Without others there to notice, he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes tightly in an attempt to will away the discomfort. He was surprised first by the tactic’s quick success, and then again by the voice of the other man in the room.

“You seem to have difficulty focusing, General.” Kylo Ren’s voice, distorted and deep, drew Hux’s sharp gaze. Frustration reared its head as he stared back, brow furrowed at the jibe. He continued, unconcerned. “Am I too much of a distraction?”

Hux glowered at the accusation, verbally biting back, “Your presence here is unnecessary.”

“Is that so?” gloved fingers steepled together, elbows taking the larger his weight on the table as he leaned forward. “ I have much interest vested in the creation of this great weapon, Hux.”

The familiarity was almost insulting. The General’s mouth quickly opened to correct him, but Kylo Ren rose his hand to demand silence. The power of the force behind the motion was almost physical, the skin beneath the high collar of Hux’s uniform prickling. Viscerally he knew, straight down in his gut, with little more effort the other man could choke the life out of him. Fairytale horrors of the old had become true.

It does not stop him.

“That would be General Hux, Lord Ren.”

The black and silver facade did not move for a heartbeat. Then the gloved hand held aloft settled back to the table, the strange tenseness in the air vanishing. “Very well.”

As the Knight of Ren rose, giving the General only a slight nod once again before he left, Hux had the strange suspicion the man had been amused.


	2. Chapter 2

“My mission was a success, master,” Kylo Ren announces in his sullen, vocoded monotone when the Supreme Leader’s attention turns from General Hux and the more practical matters of ships and men. 

“Excellent,” Snoke praised, his fingers steepled as he settled back in his massive stone throne, “I trust the natives of the planet were no trouble for you and your knights?” 

“None at all. They retreated after we felled many of their number. The mongrels had made short work of the initial wave of storm troopers, but they easily succumbed to the might of my order.” 

At the mention of storm troopers, General Hux’s head turned sharply. He had not been made aware that more than a transport ship had been granted for that particular mission 

“As they should,” Snoke croaked, “I trust that you are providing Lord Vader with a suitable resting place?” 

“He holds a place of honor within my quarters, master.” 

“Very well. General…” Snoke waved towards Hux absently, as if he had only just remembered that he was there, “See to it that progression continues with the Starkiller base. I want that weapon operational.” 

“Yes, supreme leader,” Hux intonated to the fading hologram. The projection had barely faded before Hux turned on Kylo Ren with a sharp bark, “How many?” 

“How many what, General?” having turned to leave, Kylo Ren stops and orients himself back towards the other man, his tone taking that sarcastic lilt that Hux was growing to hate. 

“How many of my men did you lose on Endor?” Hux feelt his blood boil. A mission he had already considered to be superfluous had now cost him men. He had approved a transport for the diversion, and only now before Leader Snoke is he made aware that ground troops, too, had been squandered. There was an officer somewhere on this base who had allowed this, who was going to feel Hux’s full wrath, “How were you able to requisition a squadron without my approval?” 

“The details are in the report, General. I do not require your approval to serve my master,” his tone is dismissive, irreverent. 

The General’s glare held firm, “First, a ship, now men. What else do you feel entitled to use at your will, Lord Ren?” 

“Whatever I need to accomplish my goals, General.”(speaking forcefully, or like someone would to a simpleton?) 

“For all of your talk of goals and missions, I have seen little actually accomplished which directly benefits the First Order. You hide behind that mask and your master, following objectives that neither further our reach nor cement our control.” 

There is a sharp hiss, and at last Kylo Ren removes his mask. His head shakes slightly, freeing the unexpected waves of his hair as he tucks his helmet under his arm, and expressive dark eyes scan the general’s face for a reaction. Hux is taken aback by what he sees, by what has been hiding beneath that mask.He had expected something ghastly, something mangled and maimed like the gnarled Supreme Leader. Loveliness and vulnerability are painted in broad strokes on his speckled face. The uneven splash of moles, the strong hook of his nose and his other subtle imperfections lent Kylo Ren a realness that kept him from being otherworldly, that made his personhood impossible to deny. 

The general’s lingering silence amuses Kylo Ren, whose smirk is slight but proud on his soft, full lips. When he speaks, his voice is rich of its own accord, a highborn accent, in stark contrast to the modulated speech that comes from behind the helmet, “Does this satisfy you?” 

Hux’s tongue feels large and immovable. His lips, though parted, won’t move for him, and he can do little more than swallow. Kylo Ren looks nothing like the inhuman monster he expected to hide behind his metal façade. Even in his arrogance, Hux can see the search for approval in the corners of his brown eyes. It is a vision he has to look away from, his eyes cutting to the floor as he straightens his stance towards the other man, “This does not detract from my point, Lord Ren.” 

“My goals are the goals of the Order, General. When I succeed, the order succeeds,” Kylo Ren steps forward, crowding the general’s space as he ducks to reclaim the lost eye contact. Searching, whether for Hux’s response or something else, his voice carries the lilt of curiosity, “You would do well to remember that.” 

Reluctantly, Hux’s gaze rose back, and he gives a curt nod in acknowledgement of the sentiment. Kylo’s chin tipped to the side, his posture straightened, seemingly satisfied. The General watched mutely as mask the clicked back into place.   
Knowing what lies behind it, Hux finds the impassive face of the mask even blanker than before.   
Knowing what lies behind it, Hux understands why Kylo Ren wears his mask. His expressiveness is a weakness. It makes him far too human. Behind his mask he can become the monster he needs to be.   
“General.” 

The view through the transparisteel is unmatched in Hux’s eyes. Beneath the Finalizer, a silver orb slowly turns as massive machines crawl like ants over its once untouched surface. Already an unparalleled army of droids had begun work carving the uninhabited planet in a feet of terraforming unmatched in scope, scale and speed. Within months, the base would be ready for its first full human deployment. Even with just a skeleton crew of engineers overseeing construction, there were several thousand men on the ground. This was the kind of work that mattered. This was what was going to print his name in the history of the galaxy. 

The Supreme Leader had come across intelligence. There was nothing concrete, nor was it reliable in any traditional sense. however there was rumor that there existed a map which lead to the universe’s last Jedi. 

Hux found the very concept laughable. Luke Skywalker, despite what power he had with the force, was one man. What was one man before an army of stormtroopers? What was one man before the might of Starkiller? 

Nothing. He was nothing. 

The general did not make the mistake of saying as much out loud. 

“It is not wise to question our Supreme Leader’s motivations,” Kylo Ren spoke as he approached, standing beside the general in front of the large viewing deck. The two of them had not spoken since that moment in the audience chamber. The general turned his face to him grimly, noting with displeasure that his head ached just behind his brow, as it always seemed to when the other man was around. 

“I’ve done no such thing,” he responded irritably, narrowing his eyes as his thoughts began to line up.He had researched users of the force, their abilities and prowess. Some of it had seemed ridiculous, beyond possibility. Men who brought the dead back to life or those that could destroy planets with their mind. More practical, more believable was the notion of the mind trick, or it’s related skills. Reading minds was supposedly a common, though not universal skill.   
The only way Kylo Ren could have known about his doubts would be if he had such an ability.   
Realization brought rage that nearly made him tremble as he turned on him. Fury that was hot enough to freeze began to well inside of him, pushing back against the heavy pressure that had settled on his frontal lobe as he spat, “It is rude to pry, Lord Ren. You would do well to save your powers for our enemies, not squandering them delving into my private thoughts.” 

Kylo Ren laughed. The dull ache within the general’s mind lifted, though his own anger did not. Kylo turned his masked face towards the fuming general, “I was beginning to wonder if you would notice.” 

“I am not your plaything,” The general stepped forward as not to be cowed, fists clenching behind his back. “I am commander of this ship and it would serve you to deign to show me some damned respect. The officers of this ship obey me. The enlisted men on this ship obey me. You and your knights are on this ship by the grace of the Supreme Leader, Ren, which in no way makes you my master.” 

“Is that so, General?” Kylo Ren asks, and Hux can practically hear the other’s smirk through the vocoder. Worse is that now he knows what it looks like, knows just how lips quirk upwards and impish enthusiasm dances in dark eyes, “I recall you saying differently when first we met.” 

Hux leans back at the charge, and again he feels his face sting with mortification. 

“I barely need to use my powers at all to read you. You project your thoughts into the space around you, like a cat raising its fur,” Kylo Ren tilts his head as he makes the accusation, and the little gesture adds further fire to Hux’s fury. 

“Stay out of my mind, Ren.” 

“Do you have something to hide, General?” 

“I have my privacy!” 

“No one has privacy in the face of the dark side,” Kylo Ren reminded him knowingly, his collegial tone giving way, “How do you expect to stand before the supreme leader with such thoughts of sedition?” 

“How I feel about your quest for Luke Skywalker is irrelevant to my dedication to the First Order,   
Ren. A man can disagree with orders yet carry them out to the absolute letter, as I intend to,” Hux straightened up and returned his focus to the glowing planet beneath them, stepping away from the black form of a man to approach the transparisteel. Unaffected by their discussion the monstrous machines below continued to bore through the planet, like great metal maggots on a rotting apple. “What will bring our Order victory and glory is there, beneath us. To conquer we will need men, ships, and most of all weapons. The galaxy will not be brought to heel with the death of one man alone, his strength with the force be damned. This is where our focus should lie. This is where I believe the Supreme Leader should turn his attentions, so you will forgive me if I am less than inclined to indulge this hunt for the last Jedi.” 

“You do not understand the ways of the force,” his tone is clipped, dismissive. 

“Neither do the men and women I intend to rule,” Hux mused quietly, “Under the command of our Supreme Leader.” 

“You almost forgot your place, General.” 

“I know where I stand, Ren. You do not need to read my thoughts to know that much,” he said with a turn of his head, eyes casting downwards as he looked over his shoulder. He can feel his heartbeat in his throat. There were some thoughts which were truly forbidden, dangerous to even consider. The icy fear that curled in the general’s stomach warned that Kylo Ren may have already seen them. 

“Is that so?” Kylo’s voice was uncharacteristically soft through his mask, muted sarcasm dripping from his words, “How foolish of me to think you have an appetite for power.” 

“Slander must come naturally to you, Ren,” Hux counters, “How dare you impeach my devotion to the Order.” 

“Yes, how dare I,” Kylo Ren reached up, pushing back the hood of his cloak as he moves to remove his helmet. The clatter of approaching feet, the passing of a pair of stormtroopers stops him, and his hands fall back at his sides. He closed the gap between the two of them, leaning so close that the cool, respirated air puffed again Hux’s neck as he spoke, “I’ve seen your dreams, general. I know just how badly you covet my master’s throne.” 

Hux didn’t dare move, even as he felt the now familiar push against the front of his mind. Dilated eyes focused forward on the bright sphere of the fetal Starkiller as electric fire shot down his ocular nerves. The more he resisted, the more acutely he felt that pain, but still the General held on to his innermost thoughts. He buried them, calling to mind his schedules, his plans, the minutia of life aboard the Finalizer, of life as a General. There was plenty of material to bog the other’s probe down with. The satisfaction of Kylo Ren’s frustrated humm more than made up for the pain. 

“What do you fear that I’ll find, Hux?” An empty grip rose beside the general’s face, the fingers spread, reaching for something invisible, “What do you have to hide?” 

“I… am not… the enemy, Ren,” he grits out, his head trembling with effort as the view begins to swim before his eyes. Reflected in the transparisteel, he can see Kylo Ren hovering over his shoulder like a phantom. His eyes meet the slit in Kylo Ren’s mask, and he is pleased with his ability to hold even an imagined gaze. 

“Snoke said you were an ambitious man,” Kylo Ren cuts his stare away, quirking his head to the side “He sees this as a virtue.” 

When Kylo Ren releases Hux, the General collapses forward, bracing himself against the transparent viewport. Raggedly he drew in heavy breaths, his face pressing against the cold viewport as he struggled to lift himself into a more dignified position. His eyes search the viewport quickly, mortification causing a sting to rise to the apples of his cheeks.. He tastes his heartbeat, and vertigo makes him sway. A fierce scowl is his armor as he turned to face his aggressor. 

“Perhaps I too will learn to see it as such,” Kylo Ren finished, extending his hand towards the general a second time. Hux almost recoiled, but his composure holds even as gloved fingertips press to his temple. It is nothing more than a trick, a game to the Knight. He is valuable to the Order. He is worth more than an errant dream of power. This miscreant in dark robes will not make him fear his own mind.   
Cold, sparkling relief floods him. Bright eyes slip closed, and his lips part in wordless surprise. Kylo Ren offers no explanation as his gloved hand slides down the general’s face to just barely skirting over the flushed swell of Hux’s open lips. The general’s eyes snap open. Immediately Kylo Ren withdraws, “See that I do not have reason to do otherwise.” 

“I owe you no such consideration,” Hux stated plainly, his legs returning to him, his posture becoming rigid once again. Warring interpretations of the little action thrash within his mind, and confusion gives way to anger as he declares, “I am a loyal, trusted servant of the Supreme Leader. His endorsement should be more than enough to satisfy you.” 

They stare at one another, and breathe in silence. Sharp green eyes refuse to yield to the impassive mask. Kylo Ren’s respirator echoes in the small viewing deck as Hux’s slowing breath nears normal. The general’s mind races as confusion and adrenaline as both roar within him, “What is this truly about, Lord Ren?” 

Kylo Ren says nothing. His tattered cloak billows out behind him as he turns on his heel, stalking past the general to leave the way he had come.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out the awesome art by katherine1753 towards the end of this chapter!!

The general’s quarters are dim and quiet during this shift rotation. He was comfortably sitting in the privacy of his room, some light reading pulled up on his data pad and a glass of wine in his hand that was rich, red and bold. He swirled his glass idly as he came upon the end of a chapter, then finished his drink with a slow mouthful, savoring the taste and the gentle calm his nightly ritual brought him. He set his data pad aside, leaning back and stared out his quarter’s view port into the infinite blackness of space. Somewhere out of his view Starkiller was proceeding ahead of schedule, ever nearer to its inevitable completion. Pride made his face split into a genuine smile within the privacy of his quarters. The people he commanded were excellent, the workers beneath him were skilled and progress had ceased to be hampered by anything more significant than logistics errors.

He let his eyes slip closed as he relaxed, absently running a hand down his abdomen and over his inner thigh. It had been a productive day, and he deserved some relaxation. How long had it been since he relaxed? How long had it been since he indulged himself?

“Too damn long,” he said to no one but himself, settling back in his chair as he languidly undid the buckle to his belt. He lifted his uniform shirt just enough to reach the waistband of his trousers, undoing the button with a practiced shift of his hand.

_It was a familiar, simple fantasy. The sheets beneath him were soft and warm, and a captivating young escort was between his legs. Full lips stretched around his cock as firm, warm hands pressed against his inner thighs, keeping his legs open and stretched. The general had his tastes, and the man servicing him fit them all. Dark hair that framed his face in gentle waves, dark eyes that glanced up to meet Hux’s without reservation. He could reach forward and pull that soft hair, drawing the escort’s mouth further up his shaft until he popped free, a string of saliva running from his lips to the swollen head of his cock._

__“Please,” the escort would whisper, his voice deeper than you would expect, his fingernails pressing urgently into the pale muscle of Hux’s thighs, “Let me.”_ _

___Kylo Ren’s tongue, hot and wet, would slide over him, drawing him back into his mouth. His cheeks would go concave as he sucked the general, eyes slipping closed to savor the stretch of his own lips and the friction against his tongue. For all of the power he wielded, his one true desire was to submit._ _ _

___Hux could feel his cheeks burning. He turned his head to the side, and covered his mouth with his unoccupied hand. With each shameful stroke, his hips rose up to meet his hand. His utter annoyance, his rival, yielding to please him._ _ _

____His nose would bury itself in the ginger curls at the base of Hux’s cock, and blownwide eyes would stare up at the general, eager to be praised, hungry for acknowledgement. His hand would run through that soft dark hair, fingernails raking against his scalp as he denied the request yet._ _ _ _

_____When he came, he would fill Kylo Ren’s mouth. He would choke on him, swallowing what he could as he spilled from his lips, filthily dripping down his chin. His eyes would water, and his face would flush, and he would obey when told to open his mouth._ _ _ _ _

______“Good boy,” Hux would finally praise, reaching down to clasp his chin and tilt his face upwards, watching as his tongue flicked out to the corner of his mouth, “Maybe you do have some utility after all…”_ _ _ _ _ _

When Hux came, he came hard. He filled the tissues he had pressed against himself with thick mess, and then milked himself until there wasn’t a drop left in him. It left him boneless. He lay back in his chair, breath heavy as he stared back out into space, mortification suddenly making his cheeks burn hot. He ran his clean hand down the length of his face, letting it rest on his neck. He could feel his heartbeat under his thumb. He hadn’t intended to… and yet.

He pushed himself up from his chair, tossed the trash away and stepped into the refresher. Stripped bare, he pushed himself into shower, and then let the strong sonic waves pulse against his naked body.. It was just a twisted fantasy, a confusion of the man he suffered daily and a vague memory of a dark haired lover. It meant nothing. It would not be the first time lust and hate intermingled, the desire to dominate often mutual.  
He scrubbed away at his skin, as if the past few moments could wash away like dirt. It changed absolutely nothing. He remembers that touch, the gentle brush of a fingertip over his lips. How strange it had been at the time, and how strange for him to think of it now. The general snorts at himself, turns off the water and stepped out of his shower. He tucks it away into his mind, in it’s own compartment, as he had long since learned to do with such inconvenient thoughts.

 

Requisition orders were rarely ever terribly interesting. Replacement uniforms, upgraded headsets, and personal communicators were all expected expenses. When one such form requested an entire communication console, the general stopped his stylus. He double checked the form. He contacted the requesting officer to eliminate the possibility of error. When he demanded to know why his beautiful, brand new ship was already in need of a new console, he nearly dropped his communication device.

“I shall speak with him,” the general promised gravely.

Kylo Ren did not respond immediately to his summons. When he did arrive, he strode into the room impatiently, his hands resting in fists at his sides. He almost fidgets, waiting for Hux to acknowledge him. He let him wait, satisfied to reciprocate wasted time.The General finally looked up from his data pad slowly, then motioned for Kylo Ren to come forward.The other’s lack of a reaction and curiosity is new, and his wilted composure does not go unnoticed.When he does so, briskly, Hux powers down the display and focuses his attention on him at last. “Lord Ren, would you do me the great favor of removing your mask?”

“What for, general?”

“So that I can see the face you make as you try to give me a rational reason for destroying First Order property,” the general finishes with a quirk of his brow, lips setting into a firm frown. Like a chastised schoolboy, Kylo Ren shifts his weight between his feet, before lifting his head and tightening his fists. Even with his position how it is, Hux feels like he’s being toyed with, played upon.

“I don’t answer to you, general,” Kylo Ren responds venomously, taking a step forward until the front of his robes nearly touch Hux’s desk, “What I destroy is my own prerogative.”

Hux rises to his feet with a scowl, slamming one hand down onto his desk, “Am I correct in assuming this has something to do with reports of your latest mission failure, Ren? Should I simply assume that every time something does not go your way that you will take it out on my ship?”

“Would you rather I took it out on your men?” Kylo Ren threatened, “I can hurt people or things when my rage strikes, general, which would you prefer? Perhaps your ranks could use some pruning.”

“I will not have you hurting my men in a childish tantrum!” Hux spat, circling around his chest to stand inches from Kylo Ren, head tilted to meet his eyes through the slit in his mask, “Do you have any idea what it costs to replace a communications console? Do you think we have unlimited resources?”

Kylo Ren does not immediately respond. He turns bodily to face Hux, his head tilting as unseen eyes scan the general from head to toe.  
“You’re not afraid of me.”

“Excuse me?” The general blurts suddenly, his train of thought derailed.

“I could stop your heart with barely a flick of my wrist, and you still don’t fear me.”

“Is that a threat, Ren?” Hux feels his heartbeat in his throat, but it is from his rage, not from fear, “The Supreme Leader“

“Snoke would forgive me,” Kylo Ren finishes.

Despite his expectation, General Hux does not shrink back, does not submit. Instead his sneer grows silent as he brings his hands to his front, tightening either of his gloves with a quick jerk of their hem, “Part of my job, Ren, is protecting this ship and my people on board. How am I to do that when a volatile man with a laser sword stalks the hallways, one disappointment away from destruction?”

“Light saber.”

“My point still stands.”

“Your duties are not my problem, general,” he reminds him quietly, “But I will strive to keep the human casualties to a minimum, if that will save me more of your nagging.”

The general frowns. This was not what he wanted to achieve, the prospect of his men suffering under the other’s impulsive hand not one he wanted to have even on the table. It was, perhaps, the best he could hope for under these circumstances.

“Was that all you had for me?” Kylo Ren asks, just as Hux begins to feel the now familiar pressure of his mind being invaded. He resists, despite the discomfort, remembering in embarrassing detail his fantasy from the night before, “Or is there something more?” Curiosity leaks into Kylo Ren’s voice as he feels the general resist him, but in an almost respectful gesture, he does not pry with his powers further.

The general swallows thickly, relaxing noticeably as Kylo Ren relents, “No. That was all.”

“You’re hiding something,” Kylo Ren accuses quietly, taking satisfaction in the slightly stricken expression that crosses the general’s face, “What is it?”

“Absolutely nothing that concerns you, Lord Ren,” the general evades, “A purely personal matter.”

“You don’t have personal matters,” Kylo says almost immediately, taking a step into the general’s space. Hux notes how his fists tightens, how he leans forward, demanding his full and total attention. Hux considers this as he looks back up through the slit in Kylo Ren’s mask. He is tempted to step back, Kylo Ren is so close that he must be able to breathe in his cologne, even through his unnecessary respirator.

“As hard as this might be for you to accept, I do indeed,” Hux replies with a narrowing of his eyes, gathering himself up to his full height.

“Then who is to say it would not concern me?”

General Hux swallows and blinks pointedly up at the impassive mask. His mouth opens as if to say something, then closes. Slowly, Kylo Ren reaches up to undo his mask, dropping it onto the general’s desk with a heavy thunk. His face is flush and his eyes blown wide as he stares back at the general. His eyes waver slightly, scanning every inch of Hux’s impassive face, simultaneously hopeful and aggressive.  
“Get out of my office,” the general orders quietly, furrowed brow and glare unflinching as he steps back and away from Kylo Ren. Kylo Ren’s brows draw, and his lips tighten as he steps forward with the general, “Leave me, Ren.”

Kylo Ren does not leave him. He reaches forward, pressing his knuckle against the bottom of the General’s chin. Hux grips Kylo Ren’s wrist tightly, pulling his hand away from his face, “I do not have time for these games.”

With a sharp tug, Kylo Ren frees his hand. He inclines his head ever so slightly as he begins to speak, his full lashes hiding his downward gaze, “It would be not be ideal for these personal matters of yours to interfere with your obligations to the Order.”

“I’m perfectly capable of compartmentalization, Ren,” The general says quietly. He feels his heartbeat at his throat, and blood rises to his face. He stares at Kylo Ren’s frown, and swallows, imagining those full lips taunt and open. His eyes turn to Kylo Ren’s, noting the fullness of his pupils and the tinge of flush that kissed the apples of his cheeks. The touch, the attention, the harassment all made sense. What had been a dull suspicion crystallized into a full theory, and it left the General with his mouth open and his brow drawn, “You want me.”

Kylo Ren says nothing, but steps forward again, crowding the General’s space. He presses his thumb to the general’s chin, holding his head in place as his face dips towards the general’s. Hux was frozen in position, his hands clasped tight behind his back, spine rigidly in perfect posture. Slowly, he exhales as Kylo Ren slides his thumb up to push against his bottom lip.

When their mouths meet, Kylo Ren is inexperienced and unrefined, but eager. His tongue slide along the seam of Hux’s lips, delving inside once they parted. The General hesitated, then sucked against his tongue as he took fistful of dark hair, pulling Kylo Ren to his level as he drank him in. The kiss breaks with a mutual gasp for air, and for several heartbeats the two men stare at each other wordlessly, their faces blotchy and flushed. Kiss bruised lips settled back into a frown on Hux’s face as he reaches up to push against Kylo Ren’s chest, “I’m on duty.”

Kylo Ren’s frown mirrors Hux’s, and his spine straightens as his posture repairs itself, “I see.”  
The Master of the Knights of Ren reaches down, taking Hux’s hand in his own. He brings his knuckles up against his lips in wordless kisses, dark eyes fixed on the generals when he finally asks, “And when you are not on duty?”

“Meet me after Beta shift.”

Kylo Ren waits outside of the general’s quarters at the end of his command shift. He looms like a portent of death by his door, arms at his sides and fists clenched. It takes some of the general’s measured control not to roll his eyes as he approaches, stepping past him to activate the door panel controls and slip into his rooms.

As Kylo Ren follows, Hux can hear the hiss of his helmet mechanism. When he turns he has already set it onto a table beside the entrance way, and he stares at him, bare faced. He feels a pressure at his brow, but it is comforting, pleasant, like a heavy blanket on a cold night. As it settles around his mind, he notices Kylo Ren’s eyes widen and his mouth part in mild surprise, “You truly…”

A gloved hand catches Hux’s chin, pulling him up and forward into another clumsy kiss. The general’s hands slide through dark, long hair as a thick thigh pushes between his own. Their bodies move together unevenly, both men desperate for friction and neither terribly considerate.

“Have you ever done anything like this before?” he asks as their lips break, between heavy breaths and deep swallows. Kylo Ren smirks and tilts his head.

“You almost seem surprised, general,” he teases in one hot breath, teeth dragging over Hux’s bottom lip before he sucks against his tongue again. Their mouths move languidly, savoring each other’s taste. Every soft noise Hux makes embarrasses him, but Kylo Ren doesn’t seem to mind. The heaviness on his brow is more than comforting now. It feels intimate and intense. He can feel Kylo Ren sinking himself into his sensations, can taste himself on his tongue. When their lips part, Kylo Ren pants against him, their foreheads pressed together as his eyes scan Hux’s, “You didn’t know what to expect…”

“You can see that?” Hux asks with a doubtful raise of his eyebrows as he slid his gloved hand over Kylo Ren’s jaw, fingertips pushing against his nape. With his other hand he palms over the front of his leggings, his smile turning wicked with satisfaction, “What else can you see?”

A muffled sound, almost a moan, leaves Kylo Ren as he pushes his hips back against the general’s hand. They peel each other’s clothes off as if they’re running out of time. Teeth press against a freshly bare neck, fingernails scrape over a pale abdomen and a rough hand slides over a freckled shoulder. Hux takes pride in the small bruises he leaves over Kylo Ren’s throat. The knight is so sensitive, each suck and bite makes him sigh and groan like a well paid whore.

“You want to fuck me,” Kylo Ren finally replies, his tongue sliding over his lips, head tilted back to let the general at his neck. His leggings slide down over his hips and stop at his midthigh, just enough for Hux to curl his fingers around his cock.

“Clever boy,” Hux replies, his lips moving against Kylo Ren’s neck as he speaks, stroking the length of him in full passes, natural slick lubricating each caress, “Now, I can’t read your mind… but…” as he squeezes him, the knight gives a low, hungry moan, “I get the distinct impression… that you would like to be fucked…”

“Hux”

The general releases him, stepping away to gaze over the flushed, dripping mess that is Kylo Ren. Fresh bruises blossom on his neck, and his cock hangs hard and heavy between his thighs. He steps back forward, their bodies flush, and takes both of their cocks in his hand. Without another word he begins to grind and thrust against his precum slick shaft. Kylo Ren’s body rocks opposite his own, and his lips seek out Hux’s for another hard, breathless kiss. With one hand, Hux pumps both of their cock, tightly choking their heads as they pass through his fist. Precum smears over his fingers, and drips down to the floor between their feet.

Kylo Ren moans into their kiss, breaking it off to pant and gasp, his eyes blown wide and dazed as he stares into Hux’s darkly flushed face. He says nothing, but Hux can feel him inside his mind, can see the brightness flash and feels the sudden consuming pleasure twice; once from Kylo Ren and again from his own body. Cum splashes between them, coating Hux’s hand and painting Kylo Ren’s abdomen in strings of white.

 

By the end of it, both men are sweaty and panting, holding each other up against the wall. As the general begins to stand and straighten himself, Kylo Ren clings to him, holding him firmly against his chest. Frustrated, he pushes against him, pulling away to stand on his own feet, staring down at the mess he’s made of his rival. Kylo Ren’s eyes catch his, and for a moment the two men simply stare at each other in breathless, dripping silence. Kylo Ren swallows and pushes himself off of the wall, and reaches forward for Hux’s jaw. Instinctively, Hux begins to back away, but doesn’t avoid his grasp. For the second time he pulls Hux into an unrefined kiss, but his lips are soft and urging instead of hungry.

They part again, and the spell is broken. Kylo Ren tucks himself away and moves back to his mask. Hux straightens himself and rights his uniform. Kylo ren pauses as he lifts the mask to his face, then turns to glance over at the general. His eyes slide over his flush darkened _ _ _ _ _ _face and to the curve of his neck, down the line of his chest and linger on his waist. When they meet his eyes again, Hux feels that pressure return, that familiar presence of Kylo Ren’s mind invading his own, and with a close of his eyes, he relents._ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
